Digital Gee

Let's see...how to keep this on topic... Hmmmm....

Well, here's the deal. When I'm not riding my bike, I occasionally like to relax in front of the TV. Maybe it's nostalgia for my couch potato days, who knows?

Anyway, my 12-year old JVC just died yesterday. A power outtage seems to have zapped it. It just goes ON/OFF click click when I try to turn the darned thing on.

So I guess I need a new one, because repairs would undoubtedly cost far too much in proportion to the price of a new unit. And I have NO idea how one goes about shopping for TV today -- too many options, it's intimidating. Any advice for me? Bear in mind, I'm on a budget, I am not a TV addict. The outgoing TV is a 32 inch old fashioned regular TV. I'm on cable, I have a vcr, dvd player, and (really cheap) home theatre speakers already.

I need some kind of TV to watch TDF videos, right? (There -- it's ON TOPIC!)

stapfam

Best I've heard all year- Gary has a VCR. Don't tell me its a betamax!!!!


No idea on where to get one- Over here people are into these LCD Flat screens now so if you want a 28" weighing about 200lbs- that I only bought last year incidentally, then people are giving them away. In one year- everything has changed and the latest is the High density screens- in 42 plasma form so even an LCD flat screen is going to be going cheap next month.

Keeping it on topic- I got my mountain biking videos transferred to DVD. And that is because the VCR got thrown because I could not understand the manual. Had to keep getting my youngest back to set the bl**dy thing up to record. In the end I tried to give it away but no-one wanted it. Had to dump it.

hammerdocnomo

Hey Dig,

What's with the "Digital" then? I assumed you were a digital kinda guy not some 80's guy.
Cheers

DnvrFox

I was thinking of the local Goodwill store.

Anyway, we just dropped the "expensive" ($64 per month) cable and dropped back to the "Basic" cable ($13.44 per month).

Now, I get much less frustrated.

I used to go through 500 channels and find nothing to watch.

Now I go through only 44 channels and find nothing to watch.

It is a lot faster and cheaper and less frustrating.

Truly, I think Wal Mart (bless their souls) have the best prices for TV's.

GrannyGear

Depends how far you sit from the screen. There's a physical "radius of emotional involvement" apparently that you have to sit within to really get sucked into whatever inane sitcom is on. The smaller the screen, the closer you have to be. Considering all the bikes you have jammed into your apt I suppose you can't get too far from the the tv. LCD's have a brighter picture, but unless you're on digital cable, it's not much crisper. DVD's look good but they look almost as good on a CRT. What the hill do I know? You can get pretty serviceable (meaning functional not fixable) CRT 27incher for a few hundred these days.

Remember, DG, time taken to watch TV is stolen from companionship with us, your best friends!

Stapfam.....I've had a VCR since 1993 and I have yet to set the clock because the manual is so intimidating to read. DigitalDumb here.

Red Baron

Dang I hate TV - But gotta admit watch it a few times, but an honest 1-2 hrs a week at most. I feel like I'm being manipulated and/or trying to be 'additced' and brainwashed by the various channels and commercials. My rules - no news, no soaps, no local, only history, discovery and OLN. An occasional movie, and do allow myself to watch when using a trainer. I'm totally amazed how hooked i was in my younger days.

NOS88

Gary, Gary, Gary, you finally have the chance to free yourself from the bonds of the TV addiction... Don't get a new one. Rather, spend the time you would normally use watching TV working on one of your bikes. There's always a chain to be cleaned and lubed. As for watching the TDF... always, I repeat always try to do this with others.... on their TVs if you can arrange it... drinking their beer, etc.

ctyler

I'll agree with the reply to replace your TV with other activities. I sold my TV 2 1/2 years ago when I moved and am still tV free. Best decision I ever made. I read more, ride more, walk more, listen to music more, and listen to the radio more. And after being TV free, when ever I'm somewhere where there's a TV on, I can't believe people actually watch it. There's just nothing on worth the time!

Digital Gee

I'm sort of in this camp as well, thinking about maybe not replacing the TV. I do have a small 13 incher which would satisfy cravings. I hooked it up to the cable. It's too plain to have connectors for the VCR or DVD player, however. I won't want to watch as much because I can't see it!

OTOH, I do have kids every other weekend, and it does help to have a TV. I know what the anti-TV folks are going to say, but I still would like that option when they're around.

NOS88

That being the case, ask the kids. Good chance they'll know a whole lot about what new features are out there, what they do, what they won't do, etc.

Grampy™

I can relate.... When my Grandson shows up it's with his Thomas the Train videos..... I think I have them memorized....

nmichell

Well, I have no TV since I see no reason to own one. But I do have a daughter that wants to watch movies. And being a techie, I seem to have ended up with a number of computers -- each of which has a DVD player. Problem solved BTW No one actually still owns video tapes, do they?

trailwarrior

I haven't had a TV for 25 years. About 16 years ago I bought my first front projector. Before that I used a video monitor. I used to use my Betamax as a tuner, but now I use HD box.
Checkout the screen in my "Training Room".

Digital Gee

Well, I gave away my broken TV, and moved my 13incher into it's spot. Hooked up the cable and all the other things, and it all works. And now, when I say "I think i'll go watch a little TV," I'll be telling the complete truth!

Even the kids understood that it was ridiculous to go out and spend several hunnert on a new set. Geesh! All I have to do is watch this one through the telephoto lens of my camera and voila!

crazyb

Wow, I can't bellieve how" anti tv" you guys are. As I sell high end Sony equipment for a living, I get a chance to play with all the new toys and get to attend the consumer electronics shows. As far as most programming, I agree that it can be very poor, but there are a couple of networks that make up for that. Discovery high definition, and HDnet both have varied and very high quality broadcasting. Check out Steve's Europe in hi def sometime. Yesterday it rained all day so we curled up on the couch and watched movies all day on my 50" wide screen hi def 1080p Sony. Beats a 15" computer screen. And if you only rode 4 or 5 hours a week would you get your bike at Walmart? I don't watch a huge amount of TV, and that is mostly movies, but when I do watch I appreciate quality, as I do when I ride a nice bicycle.

Carusoswi

I'd be curious to know just how the old TV died. It doesn't come on at all, comes on but picture has shrunk to nothing? What?

If it doesn't come on at all, that's probably a power supply - easily repaired. If the picture was good when working, it might be worth it. I fixed my 15-year old 32" Sony (well, I had the TV repairman fix it). I was surprised at how inexpensive the repair was - and now, it works like new. It was a good set when I bought it, still good today.

I'm not anti-TV or anti-digital or any of that stuff. I am a bit anti-replace it 'cause that only costs a little more than or less than what it costs to fix it. Not a lot anti-replace it, mind you. I like new things - especially new electronics, bikes, toys, and such.

I guess you should just do whatever suits you - that's what I do most of the time.

Caruso